Shawn

Shawn has been a Clackamas Community Land Trust homeowner since 2005 and he is a current CCLT Board Member.  Shawn is a paraeducator at Portland Public Schools.  He is also an artist, and each summer, he works at an art camp in Tualatin, where he serves on the board and works with kids to make scenery for plays.  Prior to this, Shawn played percussion in the Army Reserve band for 20 years.

After a lifetime of renting, Shawn says it was eating away at his integrity. Unaware of any programs for first-time homebuyers who were shut out of the market by rapidly appreciating prices, he was out running one day and saw the For Sale signs at the SE Phillips Creek homes. Soon he was working with CCLT to get into one.

He chose his particular house because of the trees on the lot. And he has really made it his own.  When renting, this artist didn’t feel like he could fully express himself. Now he’s made up for all those stymied years by painting two amazing murals on his walls.

Shawn grew up in Clackamas County, went to Rex Putnam High School, and he is the president of the SE Phillips Creek Homeowners Association. He says owning a home makes him feel more like part of the community than renting did. He also appreciates the responsibility that homeownership instills.

Candia and Aaron

Candia and Aaron were the second family to purchase a CCLT home. Homeownership for the family, which includes their two sons and a daughter, took the fast track after Aaron’s parents saw a flyer about the land trust.

The couple had been exploring options for buying a house, and attended a CCLT informational session to learn more. After they knew CCLT was the right fit, the family opted to take advantage of the buyer-initiated program, which provides a subsidy to qualified homebuyers, who then go out and find a home within the price they can finance. The family found the home they were looking for in an established Milwaukie neighborhood. “At the time we were paying more for rent than we do now for our mortgage payment,” Candia says. “Our boys were never allowed to go outside to play because we never had a backyard, and the parking lot wasn’t safe.”
To them, homeownership represents stability and a wise investment in the future. “Homeownership to us reflects the hard work my husband and I do,” Candia says. “Our children are now able to grow up in a safe neighborhood where they have room to run and a decent park nearby.” Oscar the German Shepherd rounds out the family.

Donna and Jessica

In Donna’s words: How CCLT and a persistent granddaughter restored homeownership

In 2003, after having been married forever, I suddenly found myself on my own, and scared to death. I moved into a large apartment complex, where I actually stayed for 3 years.  The last year and a half I was very unhappy.  I just did not feel safe there, and Jessica did not have her own room or a safe place to play.   I half heartedly began to entertain the thought of buying a house, but I had a very modest income, and no experience or confidence in such matters.

We looked at a couple of homes, but it was clear that I could not possibly afford either of them.  One weekend Jessie and I were driving around and we spotted a CCLT sign, with the words affordable housing.  Jessica insisted that I at least look.  We pulled into the driveway of the home with the sign and got out and looked in the windows.  Jessica really wanted me to call the number on the sign, but I told her I had noting to write the number on, to which her reply was, you have a cell phone, call right now.  I argued that it was the weekend and no one would be working, but she kept insisting, so I left a message on Loretta’s voice-mail (mostly to make her happy).

To my surprise Loretta called on Monday and invited me in to talk. I took Jessie with me so that she would understand why this was not going to work either. Loretta convinced us that we should at least think about it, and if I wanted to attend the class on the coming Saturday, I would find out everything.  So I attended the class, and that was only the beginning.

Vicki

Vicki has been a homeowner since 2008 and is a Clackamas Community Land Trust Board Member.  Everything is in its right place today at Vicki’s single-level ranch house in the Overland Park neighborhood.

The grandfather clock lends its soft chimes and a variety of treasured collectibles are lovingly displayed, from charming miniatures to a distinguished old St. Nick about the size of a table lamp.

Things were far from secure a few years ago, after the passing of Vicki’s husband, Ralph. Among her most pressing struggles was finding a place to live.

“I had no clue where I was going to go or what I was going to do,” Vicki said. “It had been many years since I last looked for an apartment.”

Adding an obstacle to the frustrations of waiting lists and rising rents, her income fell when she experienced a disability and couldn’t keep working.

“I felt scared and alone,” Vicki said. “But I thought about how much you have to help yourself. I just kept plugging along, one day at a time. I tried to be positive that somehow, I was going to find something.”

That started to happen when she met Jo Culbertson, with Hasson Realtors, to talk about buying a home. It was Jo who connected Vicki to Greg Pfleger, a lender at HomeStreet Bank. With his knowledge of the programs available to buyers with lower incomes, Greg suggested CCLT.

When Loretta at CCLT explained how homeownership is affordable through the community land trust’s lease, it felt right to Vicki. She attended the homebuyer education class, asked plenty of questions, and provided all the information needed to purchase an existing home.

“It was easy because I was working with people who knew what they were doing,” she said. “And they were trying to help me, not just selling me something.”

Vicki had support from more than just CCLT and its real estate partners. Two of her new neighbors were peeking out their windows while she was looking at the house.

“They told me they were crossing their fingers, hoping I would get it,” Vicki said. “I feel safe here, because I know they watch out for me.”

That spirit epitomizes the CCLT mission of providing opportunities to people who want a chance to build a better life through affordable homeownership.